BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A candidate for parish sheriff in northwest Louisiana is demanding a recount after losing by a single vote in an election where over 43,000 people voted.
This close contest has drawn attention to Louisiana’s recount process and its outdated voting machines, which lack an auditable paper trail that experts say is crucial for ensuring accurate election results. The ability to conduct recounts in states has become especially pertinent following the 2020 presidential election, with multiple battleground states conducting recounts and reviews to confirm President Joe Biden’s victory.
John Nickelson, the Republican candidate who narrowly lost the election for Caddo Parish Sheriff, posted on social media that “This extraordinarily narrow margin … absolutely requires a hand recount to protect the integrity of our democratic process, and to ensure we respect the will of the people.” His opponent, Henry Whitehorn, declined to comment.
Caddo Clerk of Court Mike Spence, with 46 years of experience, expressed hope that the tight race will show residents the importance of every vote.
When the recount takes place Monday, only absentee ballots will be tallied again and checked for errors, accounting for about 17% of the total vote. Absentee ballots are the only auditable paper trail under Louisiana’s current voting system. However, in-person votes, which are paperless, do not provide the same level of assurance and can be likened to hitting a refresh button during a recount.
The use of outdated, paperless voting machines in Louisiana has drawn criticism, raising concerns about the accuracy of election results. This issue became even more relevant following the 2020 election, as several states conducted recounts and reviews.
Yet, election officials, including Louisiana’s Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, maintain that the state’s elections are secure and there are measures in place to ensure integrity. Additionally, the state’s election procedures have been lauded by the legislative auditor in March.
However, the lack of a paper trail with the current machines remains a contentious issue and has raised calls for implementing a more modern and secure voting system.
While Louisiana is not typically viewed as a swing state in presidential elections, the importance of new voting machines has been underscored. The ongoing attempt to replace the current machines, which has been hindered by allegations of a rigged bidding process, is now a priority for the Secretary of State-elect Nancy Landry, who will take office in January.
Despite efforts to implement a new voting system, it is unlikely that the new machines will be in place before the 2024 presidential election, indicating a need for continued efforts to modernize the state’s election infrastructure.
